Aphrodite's Beauty
by Gold Saint Mu
Summary: Episode G. Pope Saga wins Aphrodite's loyalty.


**APHRODITE'S BEAUTY**

Steam rose lazily from the hot waters of the Pope's bath, obscuring the Pope's body just enough to make Aphrodite stare. Aphrodite was proud of his beautiful, pastel blue hair, but he had to admit he was envious of the stark contrast between the Pope's jet black hair and milky white skin.

Aphrodite regularly checked himself from all angles when trying on new clothes to make certain the cut and color were perfect but also when he was nude to make certain he lived up to his name. His body was well-proportioned; his skin smooth; his rear shapely. However, at this moment, he realized his deficiencies. He had the body of a teenage boy, not unenviable but barely distinguishable from a teenage girl's.

The Pope was different. He had the proportions of a man. There was nothing Aphrodite could do about his height, but he did resolve on the spot to develop that kind of muscle, not bulky but lean, strong, and attractive. The raven black hair that he envied cascaded down a strong back and accentuated two tight cheeks of a very fine ass. He wanted to touch it to make certain it was real.

"Join me in the bath," invited the Pope, who didn't bother to look at him.

"I am not worthy of such an honor, Your Holiness," Aphrodite said, not because he believed it but because it was the right thing to say.

"Join me," he repeated.

"Very well. If it is your command." Aphrodite slowly removed his Pisces Gold Cloth and was curious to see if the Pope would look. It wasn't uncommon for men to bathe together, but that didn't mean they didn't compare bodies. The Pope continued to stand with his back the Gold Saint.

The water was much hotter than Aphrodite had expected. It was perfectly pure, no salt minerals to prevent wrinkling from long-term soaking or scents to perfume the body against the stickiness that came from the heavy humidity of the Greek summer. He waded to the center.

"Do you consider yourself beautiful?" the Pope asked.

It was an odd, unexpected question, and Aphrodite couldn't help but to wonder if the Pope secretly had intentions towards him. He would not be the first.

"Yes," Aphrodite said honestly.

"Do you know why I think you're beautiful?" the Pope asked. Again, an odd question. The answer seemed obvious.

"No, Your Holiness."

The Pope turned. The front of his body was equally masculine. Aphrodite was trim, but the Pope was muscular. His chest was chiseled, and his abs were well-defined.

"Because you are powerful," the Pope said.

Aphrodite started. This was the type of answer he would expect of Deathmask, not the Pope. He didn't know how else to respond so decided to simply accept the compliment.

"Thank you," Aphrodite said with a humble inclination of the head.

"Do you want to see something truly beautiful?" the Pope asked.

Again, Aphrodite wondered about the Pope's intentions. He was young and curious so he nodded his head. The Pope raised his arms above his head to reveal more muscles that Aphrodite had never seen before, never even known existed. A galaxy of spiraling stars formed above the Pope's hands.

"GALAXIAN EXPLOSION!" With a powerful burst of Cosmos, the stars of the spiral galaxy rained down on Aphrodite as they exploded.

"What?" Aphrodite had no time to summon the Pisces Cloth. Even with it, he would have been caught off-guard and defeated. The supernovae evaporated the waters, destroyed the stones under their feet, and threw Aphrodite up against the cracked ceiling. Then he crumbled down amidst the rubble.

"That attack..." Aphrodite struggled to raise his head. He had thought it a peculiar coincidence before, but now that he looked more closely, he could see that the Pope was, indeed, an older Saga. His zircon blue-hair had turned midnight black, and deep green-eyes were now red. Aphrodite felt stupid for being tricked by such superficial changes. The Pope was the Gemini Gold Saint who had disappeared six years ago.

"This is true beauty, Aphrodite," Saga said. He distorted a sphere of the universe in one hand. "Absolute power. Deathmask believes in victory alone. You believe a beautiful person makes for a beautiful victory. But the most beautiful victory of all is ultimate victory. Follow me and you will learn to be the most beautiful of the 88 Saints."

Aphrodite tried to rise to swear his loyalty to Saga but failed. Instead his head collapsed, and before he fell unconscious, he thought: Ultimate victory is the ultimate beauty.


End file.
